TV-Series
Description
Susumu Kodai, born in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, was Mamoru Kodai's younger brother. His entire family died in the Garmillas planet bombing of Earth in 2193, leaving him orphaned. Driven by this tragedy, he followed his brother's path into the National Space Defense Academy. There, he trained under Ryu Hijikata and Isami Enomoto, befriending classmates Daisuke Shima and Hajime Hirata.
Graduating into the 7th Strategic Space Group, Kodai joined Operation M on Mars with Shima in December 2198, retrieving the wave-motion core from Sasha Iscandar's ship. Learning his brother died under Admiral Okita at Pluto, Kodai angrily confronted the Admiral, only to be chastised by Yuki Mori. His impulsiveness led him to steal an experimental Cosmo Zero during an Earth attack; he crashed, suffering radiation exposure before witnessing Yamato's activation.
Assigned as Yamato's Tactical Officer in 2199, Kodai initially clashed with colleagues like Shiro Sanada over his aggressive tactics and distrust of Garmillas. His leadership evolved during the voyage to Iscandar, challenged by encounters with Garmillas officer Melda Dietz. He developed a romance with Yuki Mori after her abduction and near-fatal injury, sharing their first kiss during her recovery. On Iscandar, Kodai discovered Mamoru alive, only to learn his brother died shortly after fulfilling a promise to Queen Starsha.
Following Captain Okita's death en route to Earth, Kodai assumed interim command. By 2202, he captained the destroyer Yuunagi but grew politically isolated over disagreements with Earth's Wave-Motion Gun policy. Engaged to Mori, he led a rebellion against Earth Federation orders after receiving a message from Teresa of Telezart, temporarily commanding Yamato again during the Gatlantis conflict. His failure to rescue Mori during Operation DAD in 2207 plunged him into profound trauma, leading Admiral Yamanami to dismiss him as Yamato's captain.
Earlier, in October 2205, Kodai commanded the 65th Escort Corps during the Salezar System diplomatic mission and Iscandar Incident. After dismissal, he was reassigned as an inspector for the Saturn Restoration Project aboard the Ginga.
Personality-wise, Kodai transformed from a revenge-driven, hotheaded officer prone to recklessness into a disciplined leader valuing diplomacy. His trauma from loss fueled early aggression toward enemies and authority, particularly Okita. He gradually embraced his brother's pacifism and Okita's mentorship, learning to balance combat pragmatism with compassion. This included protecting allies, respecting former enemies like the Garmillas, and concealing personal grief to maintain morale.
His abilities encompassed expert Cosmo Zero piloting, tactical innovation in space combat, and marksmanship. He demonstrated proficiency in hand-to-hand combat and crisis leadership, though early command violations often endangered missions. Key relationships included his deep friendship with Daisuke Shima, who tempered his impulsiveness; mentorship under Juzo Okita; his bond with fellow orphan Akira Yamamoto; and eventual marriage to Yuki Mori.
Facing command challenges during the Telezart campaign, Kodai crashed Yamato on Zemuria. He offered his life to end the conflict, resulting in Mori taking a fatal shot meant for him. After Yamato's destruction against the Comet Empire, he and Mori became stranded in higher dimensions until a refurbished Yamato rescued them, leading to their return to Earth and retirement from active duty.
Graduating into the 7th Strategic Space Group, Kodai joined Operation M on Mars with Shima in December 2198, retrieving the wave-motion core from Sasha Iscandar's ship. Learning his brother died under Admiral Okita at Pluto, Kodai angrily confronted the Admiral, only to be chastised by Yuki Mori. His impulsiveness led him to steal an experimental Cosmo Zero during an Earth attack; he crashed, suffering radiation exposure before witnessing Yamato's activation.
Assigned as Yamato's Tactical Officer in 2199, Kodai initially clashed with colleagues like Shiro Sanada over his aggressive tactics and distrust of Garmillas. His leadership evolved during the voyage to Iscandar, challenged by encounters with Garmillas officer Melda Dietz. He developed a romance with Yuki Mori after her abduction and near-fatal injury, sharing their first kiss during her recovery. On Iscandar, Kodai discovered Mamoru alive, only to learn his brother died shortly after fulfilling a promise to Queen Starsha.
Following Captain Okita's death en route to Earth, Kodai assumed interim command. By 2202, he captained the destroyer Yuunagi but grew politically isolated over disagreements with Earth's Wave-Motion Gun policy. Engaged to Mori, he led a rebellion against Earth Federation orders after receiving a message from Teresa of Telezart, temporarily commanding Yamato again during the Gatlantis conflict. His failure to rescue Mori during Operation DAD in 2207 plunged him into profound trauma, leading Admiral Yamanami to dismiss him as Yamato's captain.
Earlier, in October 2205, Kodai commanded the 65th Escort Corps during the Salezar System diplomatic mission and Iscandar Incident. After dismissal, he was reassigned as an inspector for the Saturn Restoration Project aboard the Ginga.
Personality-wise, Kodai transformed from a revenge-driven, hotheaded officer prone to recklessness into a disciplined leader valuing diplomacy. His trauma from loss fueled early aggression toward enemies and authority, particularly Okita. He gradually embraced his brother's pacifism and Okita's mentorship, learning to balance combat pragmatism with compassion. This included protecting allies, respecting former enemies like the Garmillas, and concealing personal grief to maintain morale.
His abilities encompassed expert Cosmo Zero piloting, tactical innovation in space combat, and marksmanship. He demonstrated proficiency in hand-to-hand combat and crisis leadership, though early command violations often endangered missions. Key relationships included his deep friendship with Daisuke Shima, who tempered his impulsiveness; mentorship under Juzo Okita; his bond with fellow orphan Akira Yamamoto; and eventual marriage to Yuki Mori.
Facing command challenges during the Telezart campaign, Kodai crashed Yamato on Zemuria. He offered his life to end the conflict, resulting in Mori taking a fatal shot meant for him. After Yamato's destruction against the Comet Empire, he and Mori became stranded in higher dimensions until a refurbished Yamato rescued them, leading to their return to Earth and retirement from active duty.